How We’ve Included Your Voice
In summer 2024, SDOT established an Autonomous Vehicle Inclusive Planning Cohort to provide recommendations for our future approach to autonomous vehicle operations in Seattle. This cohort was made up of people from different backgrounds, including people of color, those experiencing disabilities, immigrants, and those with low incomes, to make sure we hear diverse perspectives. These community members help shape the priorities, and we compensated them for their time and input.
Community Priorities
Over six months, the cohort discussed seven key priorities:
- Management and Accountability
- Workforce Protection and Development
- Accessibility and Affordability
- Safety
- Environmental Impacts
- Intersectional Equity
- Education to Community
The cohort's insights and recommendations were documented and helped inform the development of a Racial Equity Toolkit and a final report from the University of Oregon’s Urbanism Next Center. This effort will help chart Seattle’s approach to autonomous vehicle policies and strategies to address the unique needs and priorities of Seattle’s communities.
What We’ve Heard Across the 7 Priorities
Management and Accountability
The cohort discussed the creation of accountability structures to establish transparent and regulated frameworks tailored to local needs and community benefits. Another recommendation was developing mechanisms for community feedback to guide AV program goals.
Workforce Protection and Development
The cohort wants to focus on ways that the autonomous vehicle industry build a strong future workforce by partnering with educational institutions to create training programs and collaborate with labor groups to create job pathways for displaced workers, especially those in underserved communities.
Accessibility and Affordability
The cohort wants to prioritize vulnerable communities and underserved areas as part of local equity goals. Questions from the cohort include how to ensure accessibility standards are met, how affordability of autonomous vehicles will be considered, and what the future of AVs as a transportation choice for dependent riders will look like.
Safety
The cohort is looking for safety data from AV companies that is transparent, publicly available, and well-known. As well as clarity on incidents, insurance requirements, and safety standards surrounding AV companies. Transportation systems should be equally safe for people of all demographics.
Environmental Impacts
The cohort wants SDOT to consider how the integration of AV can reduce congestion and emissions by prioritizing electric AVs and sustainable sourcing for AV production. AVs should help the City achieve better environmental outcomes.
Intersectional Equity
The cohort wants the AV industry to holistically consider social identities and impacts as future AV deployments are planned. AV deployment should help correct past discrimination in transportation planning, serves underserved community members, and mitigates future harm to vulnerable groups.
Education to Community
The cohort sees SDOT’s role as a coordinator to help build trust between AV companies and the community in an effort to create more equitable AV deployment through outreach and education so all individuals can participate, understand, and benefit from AV integration.
About the Cohort
We invited those with personal and professional expertise and who represent local community-based organizations, coalitions, and networks from or service the following communities:
- People of color
- People with low-incomes
- Immigrant and refugee populations
- People living with disabilities
- People who have experienced homelessness or housing insecurity
- LGBTQ+ people
- Racial justice, environmental justice, and/or transportation justice-based organizations
- Underrepresented and under-resourced human service providers and community-based organizations
Meet the Cohort Members
Abdirahman Omar
Abdirahman Omar brings over 15 years of experience in the public sector, where his programs have positively impacted thousands of immigrants and refugees in Seattle/King County. His enthusiasm to contribute to the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) stems from his extensive background in workforce development, public health, transportation, policy changes, and racial equity toolkits. Having successfully navigated various public sector initiatives, Abdirahman is well-equipped to bring innovative solutions and strategic insights to SDOT's projects. His commitment to fostering racial equity and inclusivity aligns seamlessly with SDOT's mission to create accessible and equitable transportation systems for all residents. Abdirahman's experience in implementing workforce development programs underscores his dedication to empowering communities and creating sustainable opportunities for growth and advancement. His expertise will undoubtedly enrich SDOT's efforts in enhancing transportation infrastructure and services while prioritizing equity and accessibility for marginalized populations.
Amanda Richer
Amanda Richer is a Displacement Consultant in Seattle/King County, Co-Founder of Shelterapp, Vice-Chair of the Consumer Review Panel for Seattle Public Utilities, Advocate and Speaker for National Alliance to End Homelessness, Co-Chair of the National Consumer Advisory Board of National Healthcare Council, Advisory Committee for Housing Narrative Lab, Governance Council for Seattle/King County Healthcare Network for the Homeless, Consultant and Advisory Board for One Health Clinic, member of the UN NGO Working Group to End Homelessness, member of the Ellen Dailey Advocacy Committee, photographer and artist. She leverages her lived experience to advocate and educate on vulnerability, displacement, human rights and the interconnectedness of our world and experiences.
Dorene Cornwell
Dorene Cornwell has been a passionate advocate about language access, digital inclusion, and transportation issues for many years. Dorene has served on a number of different advisory boards including most recently the ACCESS Paratransit Advisory Commission, the Find a Ride Project and previously other initiatives through Hopelink and King County Metro. Dorene has had vision problems her whole life and is now legally blind and a user of many different access methods and accessibility tools. Prior to becoming legally blind, Dorene has considerable work experience in technical support and health care report writing. Dorene is very interested in the wide range of technical, policy, and user experience challenges involved in autonomous vehicle technology.
Dorian Taylor
Dorian Taylor has been a dedicated advocate and community organizer for the last 14 years, whose expertise lies in abolition and Disability Justice. Their lived experience gives them a passion for community and transformative change. His role as a Disability Equity Specialist allows him to use that vision to drive positive policy changes that address important intersections such as high rates of homelessness for PWD and environmental injustices. As a Queer , Black , Disabled lifelong survivor of systemic violence Dorian believes we are lost without community. Only together through access and collective vision can we truly accomplish a common goal.
KL Shannon
KL is a longtime community organizer who grew up in Seattle’s Central District and started her organizing career with Jobs with Justice and Mothers for Police Accountability. She currently organizes with ‘Whose Streets? Our Streets!’ and Seattle Neighborhood Greenways. Her organizing work includes issues impacting communities of color: Economic Justice, Housing, Immigration, Police Accountability, and Transportation.
She is helping to raise her nephew and actively supports him by disrupting the school yard-to-prison pipeline that snags Black and Brown boys.
Lanvin Andres
Lanvin Andres brings over a decade of dedicated service to social services and nonprofit leadership. With 13 years of expertise in case management, social services, and nonprofit management, he has become a committed advocate and community organizer. In his role as Executive Director at IDIC Filipino Senior & Family Services, Lanvin plays a pivotal role in collaborating with community members to foster positive change. His work focuses on tackling challenges faced by the immigrant community, addressing health disparities, combating elderly isolation, and improving the quality of life of seniors.
LeVihn Tran
With over 30 years of dedicated service to the Vietnamese community in Seattle, Theresa Tran has established herself as a pillar of cultural advocacy and support. As a Community Liaison for the City of Seattle's Department of Neighborhoods, Theresa has been instrumental in bridging the gap between Vietnamese small business owners in the International District and vital financial support resources. Her commitment to fostering growth and resilience within the community is evident through her extensive outreach efforts. Theresa's passion for cultural preservation and advancement goes beyond her liaison role. She has been a driving force in organizing community events that celebrate and maintain Vietnamese heritage, providing a platform for cultural expression and connection. Her ability to provide crucial language support has made her an invaluable asset to her community, ensuring that language barriers do not hinder access to services and opportunities. Currently, Theresa is channeling her expertise and compassion into her work at Swedish Providence Hospital as a Cultural Navigator. In this role, she continues to advocate for the health and well-being of her community, guiding them through the complexities of healthcare with empathy and understanding. Theresa's unwavering dedication to service makes her a true leader and an inspiration to all who have the privilege of working with her.
Linda Li
Linda Li has served her community for the past 15 years as a journalist, a Chinese cultural center administrator, and a community liaison. Raised up in a family of scholars, she holds several national youth titles in writing, public speech, and debating. Her interest in American politics and International Relations led to a 5-year dedicated engagement in graduate study and academic research, which also laid a solid foundation for her community service in the Greater Seattle area. Linda’s is skilled at bridging between government agencies and underserved community, conducting outreach, and organizing social events. Being highly involved in multiple city programs including Seattle Transportation Plan, Seattle Public Utilities projects, and Sound Transit Light Rail Extension, Linda has pursued a passion to immerse herself in social justices causes, by understanding the community better, offering them tools to participate in the political process, and getting their voices heard.
Mariela Barriga
Mariela Barriga is a social change champion. She currently leads institutional transformation regarding food and housing justice, financial empowerment, and community partnerships as the Director of Student Success at Highline College. Mariela has presented her work at numerous national and statewide conferences. In addition, she currently partners with the City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods on projects connecting outreach and communication efforts to Spanish speaking communities. Previously, Mariela was a youth development practitioner serving teens of color and recently completed ten years of Board service: three with Yoga Behind Bars and seven with School’s Out Washington, where she served as Board President for two years. Born in Northern California, Mariela comes from a family of educators, artists, farmers, and storytellers.
Rita Howard
Rita Howard is a community activist, artist, and advocate for low-income African American aging adults. She is a key member of the Seattle Housing Authority's Board of Commissioners, the President of the Mayor’s Council of African American Elders, and focuses on creating meaningful change and support structures for African American elders in Seattle. She is involved in the Ravenna Community Garden, University Food Bank, and facilitates a grief support group. Rita is a graduate of the University of California Berkeley with a BA in African and African American Studies and is a skilled curriculum developer, teacher, and visual artist.
Regina Chae
As a community advocate, Regina Chae is passionate about helping needed families to provide needed services. As a community Liaison with City of Seattle Department of Department of Neighborhood(DON) she has conducted outreach to Korean small business owners and employees in the CID and West Seattle, to connect them with financial support resources and City information. I have experience with Center health providing direct resources, support to families disabilities and as contractor provided language access support in partnership with Washington State. In the past, I also worked to register vulnerable community members for the COVID-19 vaccine.
Tsega Desta
Tsega is a committed advocate and community organizer with over a decade of experience in navigating community dynamics and managing projects. With a strong background in addressing crucial issues such as housing affordability and community engagement, she currently serves as the Program Director and Housing Program Manager at the Ethiopian Community in Seattle. In these roles, Tsega collaborates closely with community members to instigate positive change and tackle challenges related to gentrification, as well as cultural, linguistic, and systemic issues within the community. Prior to her work with the Ethiopian Community in Seattle, she served as an engagement manager at the Washington Global Health Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting and informing Washington's global health community. Before her time at WGHA, Tsega held the position of Senior Program Coordinator at the Allen Institute for Brain Science, a nonprofit bioscience research organization focused on accelerating global research. Tsega holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and is a certified Program Management Professional (PMP) from the University of Washington.
Guided by the community cohort, our team will aid in the development of a community priorities framework that will articulate areas where SDOT should place disproportionate interest when considering autonomous vehicle policies. — Uncommon Bridges
We are bringing nearly a decade of experience working with communities throughout the country on the impacts of AVs and how best to leverage this emerging technology to achieve community goals. — The Urbanism Next Center at the University of Oregon